Eastern High School Championships NY Team Recap

Submitted by Chris Frielinghaus

Results can be found at

http://www.chisholmskiclub.org/chisholm_results/2010-11/10-11_results_frameset%20.htm

The EHSC was held this year at Black Mountain in Rumford, Maine. This was the site of the US Nationals this winter and the trails were definitely a true test of a skier’s abilities. 23 high school skiers representing New York made the long drive to Maine on Thursday. Coaches volunteered their time to lead the team and included trip leader Julie Hinsdill, Jeff Moore, Chris Frielinghaus, Margaret Maher, and Ethan Townsend (head coach at St. Lawrence University).

Adam Swayze, Cole Matthews, Hannah Barnes, Kaylin Beiter, Kevin Hoose, Peter Newman, Mike Wojcik, Jennifer MacMillan, Nolan Amos, Sarah :Link, Andrew Klug, Ashley Forshey, Brett Schesier, Chris Whalen, Emma Underwood, Kate Mulcahy, Nick Underwood, Will Frielinghaus, Rebecca Craig, Anna Izzo, Joey Izzo, Spencer Knickerbocker, Will Fieroh

Through New Hampshire, the sky was crystal clear and the panoramic view of the Presidential Range and Mt. Washington made the ride worthwhile.   We arrived late afternoon at the Chapman Inn in Bethel. It was a unique bed and breakfast that was about 150 years old.  The place had plenty of history as well as some supernatural guests.   It seems this house is known for its occasional sightings of a ghost, strange noises, and even a cat that can walk through walls.   The kids stayed in the carriage house which was a unique building with beds stuffed in nooks and corners throughout the creaky building.   We ordered specialty pizzas and everyone got to know each other with a game of three questions.  Hey Andy, who thinks they look good in Spandex?   The next morning we were greeted by the wonderful smells of a home cooked breakfast prepared by the innkeeper. We then left for the venue which was about a 40 minute drive.   Black Mountain is a combination Alpine/Nordic area.  There were very few alpine skiers and the beautiful lodge was dominated by over 200 nordic competitors.   The kids previewed the course and immediately gained respect for High School Hill.  This was an unrelenting climb that had varying degrees of pitch that never seemed to end.  The first race was a 5K freestyle that started in the late afternoon. The temps were well above freezing and the flat start area had some big puddles that confounded some of the racers.  The sudden change in glide across these spots put everyone’s balance to the test.  New York had two medalists that day with Will Frielinghaus in 6^th and Kevin Hoose in 8^th.  When we returned to the Inn, a delicious lasagna dinner was waiting. Saturday morning was a 1.2K freestyle sprint with wave starts of five skiers each.  This made for some exciting skiing with various amounts of bodily contact evident in the first 300 meters.  Kevin Hoose medaled again with a 7^th place finish.  Everyone ate lunch in the sunny parking lot and prepared for the afternoon’s mixed relay race. The sun was still out when the boys started out on the first classic leg.  They tagged off to a girl who also completed a classic leg before tagging the next boy who skied a freestyle loop.  The last leg was finished by the girls.  The New York A team crossed the line in 8^th, followed by the B team in 13^th.  Four of our skiers had top ten splits for their legs: Nick Underwood 9^th,Emma Underwood 5^th, Will Frielinghaus 4^th, and Ashley Forshey 6^th.   After a quick shower and change, the skiers returned to the Black Mountain lodge for a banquet. A short presentation was given about marathon ski racing in Japan, followed by awards.   A standing ovation was given for a girl from Maine who competed in the Adaptive ski event.   A single leg amputee, she completed a difficult course using only her arms on a sit-ski which is similar to a chair on skis.   The team returned to the Inn for some Harry Potter, cards and ping pong.  Sunday morning saw a return to below freezing temps and a hard, fast track.  The start was delayed due to groomer problems and the temperature slowly began to rise.  This made for some tough waxing decisions since the transformed snow demanded klister and the start was still an hour away.  Ethan nailed the wax with the help our testers and the boys mass start proved exciting.  NASCAR fans were treated with a huge pile-up that resulted in loose skis and poles and bodies strewn everywhere.  The girls were more polite with no casualties in their start.  Ashley skied a determined race and kept passing skiers at every vantage point. She crossed the line in tenth place with a huge smile on her face.  Kate Mulcahy was our next finisher in 23^rd.  The competition was over and everyone ate lunch before the long ride back.  The final award ceremony was held and Ashley received her medal. The overall winners were announced and Kevin Hoose was our top skier of the weekend grabbing 6^th place in a very competitive field.  The New York team finished in 5^th place which is not too bad considering we had one-half the amount of racers as the other teams.  Thanks go out to the Mulcahys, Klugs, and Whalens for transporting back skiers and gear that saved a bunch of driving time.

I would like to thank all of the coaches and parents for their help and time.  I would also like to recognize the skiers for their commitment and enthusiasm toward the sport of Nordic racing.  I would encourage all aspiring high school racers to consider this event in their schedule next season.